


The House of Lions

by FuzzyPurplePenguins



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Appearances by various others, Bit of Heartbreak, Get together fic, Gryffindor Harry, Gryffindor Louis, Gryffindor Zayn, Hufflepuff Niall, Louis is a horrible student, Louis likes pumpkin juice, M/M, Miscommunication, Ravenclaw Liam, Seventh year, Shenanigans, Slow Burn Ish, Zayn is a horrible prefect, Zayn occasionally flirts with the professors, Zourry are 'The Second Golden Trio'
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-07
Updated: 2013-10-25
Packaged: 2017-12-25 20:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/957443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuzzyPurplePenguins/pseuds/FuzzyPurplePenguins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Louis is determined to get into Head Boy Liam Payne's pants, Niall is a hungry hungry Hufflepuff, Zayn sometimes wishes he was sorted into Ravenclaw, and Harry is quite literally head over heels for Niall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Besotted Gryffindor

**Author's Note:**

> So this happened last night when there were horrible thunderstorms in my neck of the woods last night, resulting in me being unable to sleep.
> 
> Sorry for any Americanisms, I tried to go through and Britpick but I probably missed stuff. 
> 
> IF YOU WANT MORE LET ME KNOW.
> 
> Enjoy.

"This is the year," Louis says. "I can feel it."

"Uh-huh," Harry agrees, like the totally supportive and awesome best mate that he is, even though he has absolutely no clue what Louis is talking about. He's too busy staring around at all the other house tables and checking out the Gryffindor first years.

"Tommo," Zayn sighs from Harry's right. "You've been saying that for the past two years. I highly doubt that you're actually going to suddenly grow the balls to seduce Liam."

"Oh," Harry says, turning his head around. "Is that what we're talking about, then?"

Louis stares at him. "Harold! I thought you were my best mate!"

"I am your best mate," Harry says. "But it's the Beginning of Year Feast. I'm trying to determine if the new Gryffindors are up to scratch."

"They're first years," Zayn says. "That's highly unlikely."

"Hmmm," Harry hums. "I don't ever remember being that short. Were we that tiny when we were eleven?"

"Not you, young Harold, giant that you are," Louis says. "But, enough about the pipsqueaks. Back to the important matter at hand."

Harry raises an eyebrow.

"Which is me getting into Liam Payne's pants," Louis clarifies.

"I should have told the hat I wanted to be in Ravenclaw," Zayn groans.

Harry pats him on the shoulder comfortingly.

xxxxxxxxxx

The thing about Louis is that he's been Harry's best mate since the very beginning, when he barged into Harry's compartment on the Hogwarts Express their very first year at Hogwarts, and has refused to leave Harry's life ever since.

Harry doesn't mind, really. Lou's a hoot and a half, when he's not obsessing over Liam Payne or driving said Ravenclaw nuts.

Louis has a very special way of showing his affection where he goes out of his way to drive you crazy. It means he cares.

They made friends with Zayn during their third week at Hogwarts, when there was an odd amount of students in Herbology and they had to group up as a three for an assignment.

Zayn had tried to stay away from Lou's crazy, but there was just something about Louis Tomlinson that either made you want to be friends with him or just hate his existence all together.

Professor Longbottom had once jokingly called them the Second Golden Trio, and that name had sort of stuck through all six years.

So, what Harry's saying is that he and Zayn know by now that Louis doesn't give up.

Which is why neither of them are surprised that, once again, Louis has set his sights on Liam.

xxxxxxxxxx

They're half-awake the next morning, picking at their food, when Professor Longbottom comes down the table, handing out schedules.

"Good morning boys."

"Hsbgbsnc," Louis says into his cup of pumpkin juice.

Harry tears his gaze away from his plate to laugh at Lou's face.

"Good morning, professor," Zayn mumbles.

Professor Longbottom raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say a thing and simply hands them their schedules before moving down the table.

"Bloody hell," Louis says. "Double Potions first. What deity did I piss off to get this first thing?"

"Every single one?" Zayn suggests, and Harry laughs at the outrage on Lou's face.

"Stop laughing, Styles, you've got it too," Louis says, reaching over to tap Harry's schedule.

"Professor Grimshaw's cool, though, I don't mind Potions," Harry replies, shrugging.

Louis looks affronted. "How dare you call yourself a Gryffindor, villain!"

"Lou, hush up and drink your pumpkin juice," Zayn says, rolling his eyes.

"Don't tell me what to do, Malik!" Louis sniffs, but picks up his goblet again anyway.

"Such a diva," Harry says.

"We should have never agreed to be friends with him," Zayn says, but they're both smiling.

xxxxxxxxxx

When they finally get to Potions, they're the last ones to show up, and everyone else is already seated, waiting for class to start and Professor Grimshaw-Grimmy as he insists they call him-to come in.

Louis' eyes light up when he notices the desk next to Liam and his partner, another Ravenclaw named Danielle, is empty. He grabs Zayn's hand and drags him over, leaving Harry all alone.

Best mates, riiiiight.

Harry glances around, and finally notices there's an empty seat next to blonde-haired Hufflepuff Niall Horan.

His stomach starts fluttering. Harry swallows, and takes tentative steps over.

"Hey, Niall," He says.

The Hufflepuff looks up and his face lights up as Harry sits down. "Harry! What's up, mate? Did you get taller over summer?"

Harry brushes a hand over his curls nervously. "I don't think so?"

"Huh, really?" Niall tilts his head and squints. "Could swear you got taller."

Harry shrugs, and sets his bag down on the ground. "How was your summer?"

"Excellent!" The blonde flashes his white, white teeth and Harry just wants to sink into the ground. "I love it here at Hogwarts, but there's just something about going home to Ireland."

Harry can't help but laugh at that. Niall grins back at him, and goes back to the muffin he'd been eating before Harry had sat down.

The door swings open, and Professor Grimshaw stalks into the classroom, cape billowing and hair sticking up impossibly high.

"So, here's the deal," He says. "I've got first year plans to rewrite-Professor Marks' cat somehow got down to the dungeons, I know, what the hell-so just follow the lesson plans on the blackboard, and when you're done, eh, I don't care, just be semi-quiet and don't bother me. Go, make magic!"

There's a moment of silence, before everyone gets up to go fetch ingredients.

Zayn crowds next to Harry in front of the ingredients cupboard and smirks. "So, Harry. Partnering with Niall, huh."

"Bugger off," Harry grumbles, cheeks turning red as he grabs a jar of dragonfly wings.

"I don't know how Louis' managed to stay oblivious to your little crush, you are so obvious," Zayn laughs at him, and Harry elbows him in the gut.

"It's probably because Louis is wrapped up in all things-oh, hello Liam!" Harry says.

"Hello, Harry," Liam says politely, eyeing Zayn-who's doubled over in pain-warily. "How was your summer?"

"Oh you know," Harry shrugs his shoulders. "It went fine. Passed my Apparition test this summer. Went on holiday with the family. The usual."

"Sounds pleasant enough," Liam says, and then looks at Zayn. "Is he okay?"

"I elbowed him in the gut," Harry says cheerfully, grabbing another jar, this one full of newt's legs. "He'll be fine."

"Damn you, Styles," Zayn says, and falls onto the floor.

Liam looks really worried.

"He'll be fine," Harry waves it off. "Oi, can you hand me that jar of armadillo bile?"

xxxxxxxxxx

"Well, we all knew going into this lesson that I'm pants at Potions," Louis says cheerfully at the end of the lesson, having successfully melted his first cauldron of the year.

"I don't even know how you got an Exceeds Expectations on your Potions O.W.L.," Zayn huffs, not pleased at having failed his first lesson of the year.

"Dumb luck," Harry laughs, carefree, because he and Niall had actually managed to successfully brew their Potion with no side effects.

"Pretty much," Louis says, and then shamelessly proceeds to stare at Liam's ass as most of the seventh years from their Potions lesson head up to the third corridor for Charms.

"Lou, for Merlin's sake we are in public," Zayn says, not really caring that much at this point.

"Hmm? What?" Louis says.

"Ugh, never mind," Zayn grumbles.

"Thinking longingly about Ravenclaw again?" Harry teases, reaching over to pinch Zayn's cheeks.

"They would've been loads nicer to me then you lot," The dark-haired boy says with no real heat.

"Your life would have been so boring if you'd been in Ravenclaw," Louis says. "And admit it, you love us."

"I love Harry," Zayn says, and pulls the curly-haired brunette in for a hug.

The green-eyed boy just laughs and throws his arms around Zayn as well. "Love you too, Zee."

"You two are sickening," Louis huffs. "I officially hate you."

"Of course you do," Harry says patiently, then looks away to watch Niall, who's talking loudly to his housemate, Josh, waving his hands in the air.

Zayn laughs. "Harry, you're staring."

"What? No I'm not," The brunette snaps his head around, extremely grateful that Louis has returned to ogling Liam's ass.

"Yes you were," Zayn says. "You two would be so ridiculously cute together."

"Zayn, if you stop talking I will not say anything when you eventually start flirting with Professor Marks," Harry says, and bops the other boy on the nose.

"...you drive a hard bargain, Styles," Zayn says, and mimes zipping his lips shut.

"Oi," Louis says, turning around to look at them. "Do you guys think I can convince Liam to help 'tutor' me in 'Potions'?"

"You are a horrible, horrible person, Tommo," Zayn says, and Harry bursts into laughter.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Welcome back to another years of Charms," Professor Marks says coolly, adjusting her glasses and leaning back against her desk. "This is your N.E.W.T. year, so don't expect me to go easy on you because I won't."

Harry reaches over to place a hand over Zayn's mouth before he can say anything dirty.

"Last year we mostly studied nonverbal spells," The Ravenclaw Head of House says, and flicks her wand, causing a jet of water to stream over a few Slytherin heads and into a potted vase near a window. "Some of you did better then others."

The Ravenclaw section preens.

"Others...not so well."

One Hufflepuff in the front goes bright red, and all of her housemates lean over to pat her arm reassuringly.

"Your failures reflect on me, and my teaching skills," Marks says, standing up straight. "I strive to teach my best. If any of you get below an Acceptable on your Charms N.E.W.T I will take it personally."

"Did she get more intense over the summer?" Louis whispers into Harry's ear. "I think she got more intense."

"Mr. Tomlinson, is there something you'd like to share wih the class?" Professor Marks says, and the Slytherins instantly start sniggering.

"Just commenting on how lovely those robes are on you, Professor," Louis says with a wink, and Harry wants to shrink into the ground.

"Uh-huh," Marks says, and adjusts her glasses. "As I was saying, please open your books up to page 5, and we'll begin with reviewing some nonverbal and relatively harmless jinxes."

"I should have been in Ravenclaw," Zayn says yet again, this time extra longingly, and Louis and Harry both smack him on the shoulder in unison.

xxxxxxxxxx

After Charms they have a double-free period, and so they head back to the Gryffindor common room.

It's mostly empty-there's two sixth years huddled by one of the windows-and the three happily collapse onto the couch nearest to the crackling fire.

"Ugh," Louis groans, shaking out his limbs. "Bloody Bat Bogey Hexes, mates."

"I like the Bat Bogey Hex," Harry frowns. It's one of the few spells he learned right off the bat-pun not intended-and he's proud of it.

"We know," Zayn says soothingly, petting Harry's curls. "...Louis, what are you doing?"

The mischievous brunette's got a quill between his teeth and is unrolling a roll of parchment.

"Smhplintasaduktiamayne," Louis says, all in a rush.

"What," Harry says flatly.

Lou just sighs at them and turns the parchment around.

LOUIS TOMLINSON'S KICKASS PLAN TO SEDUCE LIAM PAYNE AND GET IN HIS PANTS

"You are a menace, Tommo, a menace," Zayn says. "Why can't you just go up to him and ask him out like a normal person?"

Louis removes the quill from between his teeth. "Boring."

"And we can't have that, can we?" Zayn sighs.

"Absolutely not," Harry says, leaning into Zayn and sighing.

"You two are very unsupportive," Louis sighs, and bends over his parchment, eyebrows furrowing.

"He's going to put more work into this then studying," Zayn says, and sounds absolutely horrified at the idea.

"Mmm," Harry agrees, and flips open his Year 7 DADA textbook.

There's mostly the sound of silence for a few minutes, save the sound of Harry and Zayn turning pages and the scratch-scratch of Louis' quill.

"Have you tried," Harry says, suddenly looking up from Chapter Eight: Eight Ways to Counteract Complex Curses and Jinxes. "Just going up to him and kissing him?"

Louis sets down his quill and looks up, slowly. "What?"

"Well, I mean, it would get your point across pretty clearly," Harry says. "That or groping him."

Louis' face lights up.

"Lou, no," Zayn groans. "Merlin, Harry, why did you say that?"

Harry shrugs.

"I love you Harold," Louis says, throwing his parchment on the air and practically bolting out of the common room.

"Have fun, Lou!" Harry laughs, then looks at Zayn. "What?"

"Why do you insist on encouraging him?" Zayn groans.

"Well, I mean, if he didn't really like Liam he wouldn't have tried for two and half years to 'get in his pants'. He would have given up and moved on a long time ago," Harry says thoughtfully. "Right?"

Zayn looks at him. "...when did you get so wise, Hazza?"

"'m not wise," Harry protests. "I just...I'm good at observing, you know?"

"And yet you're still single," Zayn sighs.

"...what?"

"Nothing, Harry. Never mind," Zayn says.

"What, no! Tell me!" Harry says, grabbing onto the other Gryffindor's sleeve.

"Leave it, Harry," Zayn says. "Get a head start on your Charms essay or something."

Harry frowns. "You'd tell me if it was something super important, right?"

"Of course, Haz."

"Alright..." Harry says, and reaches in his bag for The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7.

xxxxxxxxxx

By lunchtime, Louis still hasn't show back up, so Harry and Zayn head down to the Great Hall without him.

They head over to the Gryffindor table and Harry's stomach does a little flip when he sees Niall sitting at their table, chatting away to a fifth year with wacky hair. Harry should know his name, he really should, but sometimes it's not worth it trying to remember every underclassman's name.

"Niall, what a surprise," Zayn says, and smirks at Harry.

"I hate you," The curly brunette whispers, nearly tripping over his feet when Zayn pushes him down on the bench next to Niall.

"Hey Zayn, hey Harry," Niall says, turning his attention away from the fifth year and towards them. "...where's Louis?"

"He ran off sometime during free period," Zayn says, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice. "Dunno where he went."

"Probably pulling a prank," Harry shrugs.

"Huh. Okay," Niall says, and shoves part of a sandwich in his mouth. "Anyway, Jimmy here-"

"My name isn't Jimmy," The fifth year protests. Niall waves him off.

"-he was telling me about the new Transfiguration professor, y'know, Lawson? Apparently she's miles better then Webb ever was."

"Oh really?" Zayn says, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Harry says, smacking his hand. "No flirting with the new professor, Malik."

"I wasn't-"

"Save your lies, Zee," Harry pokes him in the chest. "I know you, remember?"

"It is true," Niall says in between bites of his sandwich. "You do flirt with almost all the professors, all the time."

The fifth-year nods, wisely.

"You," Zayn points at him. "Go away."

"You can't-"

"I'm a prefect, fifthie, begone," Zayn says, and then smirks.

"That's abusing your-"

"My friend Harold here," Zayn says, draping an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Is particularly good with the Bat Bogey Hex."

Harry strokes his wand lovingly, and arches an eyebrow.

Not-Jimmy huffs, gets up, and heads farther down the table.

"Good choice," Niall says. "Knew he was a smart lad. Hey-isn't that Louis?"

It is. And he looks upset.

"Lou?" Zayn asks when the brunette plops down across the table from him.

"I don't want to talk about it," Louis seethes, and stabs a piece of meat off a platter, dropping it on his plate.

"Louis," Harry says softly. "Just, are you okay?"

"No, no I am not fucking okay," Louis says. "Hi Niall."

"Hey Tommo," Niall says, and wisely keeps his mouth shut.

"Lou," Harry says.

"Let's just say that he doesn't like me back," Louis says, and stabs his fork into his chicken repeatedly. "And that I made a fool out of myself. And that I can never ever talk to him ever again."

"Oh Lou," Zayn says. "Surely it couldn't have-"

"He was kissing someone else," Louis says.

Harry drops his fork.

xxxxxxxxxx


	2. The Hungry Hufflepuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lou is miserable, Harry's a proper best mate, Zayn is smug, Niall likes to spend his free time in the kitchens, and Liam is being ignored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to mention this but I aim to update at least once a week.
> 
> This chapter is heavy on the Narry, light on the Payno. And by light I mean practically nonexistent. Uh, he should be back by next chapter though, guys, don't worry.
> 
> ENJOY. Let me know what you thought?

xxxxxxxxxx

"WHAT?" Zayn shouts, causing most heads in the Great Hall to turn towards them.

"Er, should I leave?" Niall asks, sandwich in one hand, blue eyes wide in worry.

"No need, Niall," Louis says. "Because this conversation is over."

"Louis," Harry says, frustrated. "Tell us what happened."

"I just did," The brunette snaps, laying his fork down. "And I don't want to talk about it anymore, okay? I'm pissed and upset and I really don't want to talk about it."

Over Lou's shoulder Harry can see Liam at the Ravenclaw table, frowning thoughtfully.

"Do you need us to ignore Liam?" Harry asks, because no matter how much he likes the Head Boy, Louis is his best mate and Louis will always come first.

"That's unnecessary and childish, Harold," Louis huffs.

Zayn stares at him. "You do unnecessary and childish things every day, Lou. You ARE unnecessary and childish."

"Really, I can just go back to my house table-" Niall starts.

"Niall, sit down. Zayn, shut up. Harry, I don't need you to fight my battles for me," Louis says, and slams his hand down on the table. "That's it. This conversation is over."

And then he does the most un-Louis like thing ever. He pulls their Care of Magical Creatures textbook out of his bag and starts reading at the table.

Niall looks horrified. Zayn and Harry exchange worried glances.

xxxxxxxxxx

And just like that, everything's weird.

Everyone-and Harry literally means everyone-in the castle seems to know something's wrong with Lou, and for two straight weeks there's stares, pointing, and whispering wherever Louis goes.

Harry hates it. Hates that Lou won't tell them what's wrong; won't tell them what happened, REALLY; hates that Louis looks dejected and sad and not like Lou at all.

So Harry helps in the only ways he can: he gives Louis best-mate-cuddles, lets him cry on his shoulder, brings him muffins and other comfort foods, always lets Louis borrow his class notes when his mind is otherwise occupied, and huffs at Liam whenever the Head Boy even glances their way.

Three weeks into term-it's a Saturday-Zayn puts his foot down.

"Enough, Lou," He says. "Your moping face is starting to make ME feel depressed."

"Fuck off."

"No. Stop staring into the fireplace and cuddling that pillow like it's the only thing you're ever going to love and come down to the pitch with me. We'll have a proper match, me against you, not like the abysmal performances you've been giving at practice," Zayn says, and prods Louis in the side with his wand.

"You guys have fun," Harry says, because he's clumsy enough on the ground. Up in the air, on the broom, he's a proper catastrophe.

"We'll be back in about two hours, Haz," Zayn says, and shoves Louis out of the portrait hole.

Harry just snuggles back down into the couch and buries his nose in A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration.

xxxxxxxxxx

Thirty-five minutes later Harry is heading down towards the kitchens-there's only so long one can read about the Complications in Transfiguring Animals, after all-mentally beating himself up for not following after Zayn and Lou, if not just for something to do.

It's quiet in the castle, because most everyone has gone outside to enjoy the surprisingly nice day for fall in Scotland.

Harry, if he weren't so hungry, would've gone outside with the rest of the masses, maybe laze about by the Great Lake and watch the Giant Squid terrify the first years.

Instead he finds himself outside the kitchens, tickling the pear in the portrait of a fruit bowl that conceals the entrance.

The very large portrait swings opens, and Harry scrambles in.

Various house-elves start greeting him at the top of their voice, and Harry grins and then flushes when he see Niall sitting at the table, feet dangling off the stool he's seated on, with a large bowl of ice cream in front of him.

"Harry!" Niall greets, waving enthusiastically. "How are ya, mate??"

"Hullo, Niall," Harry says, glancing down at the house elves that are herding him over to the table, various snacks appearing on the table. "Why am I not surprised to see you here?"

Niall looks at him. "Harry. The Hufflepuff dorms are not far from here. How am I supposed to say no?"

Harry laughs, and slides onto the seat next to Niall's. "You could be doing homework instead?"

"I'm going to pretend you never said that," Niall huffs, and scoops an impressive heap of ice cream onto his tongue.

"You're ridiculous," Harry says fondly, and reaches for the basket of muffins right in front of him.

Niall snorts, and sets his spoon back down in the bowl. "Me? Ridiculous? Naaaahhhhh."

Harry laughs around a mouthful of chocolate chip muffin and nods.

Niall messes with his dyed locks for a second. "How's Louis?"

Harry sighs. "Let's not talk about that."

"That bad, huh?"

"Zayn dragged him out to play Quidditch, so maybe he'll cheer up a bit," Harry says, contemplating his muffin. "But yeah. It's bad."

"I'm sorry," Niall murmurs, and lays a hand on Harry's shoulder.

The curly brunette's cheeks flame up and he instantly just wants to melt into the ground. "We'll figure it out eventually," He says, and takes another bite out of his muffin.

"I know you will," Niall says, and digs his fingers into Harry's shoulder blade in a way that makes the Gryffindor want to melt all over the table in happiness.

xxxxxxxxxx

After Niall finishes his ice cream and Harry devours three more muffins, the two head outside towards the Quidditch pitch.

The entire way there, Harry tells one bad joke after another just to see the way Niall's face lights up and to hear his ridiculously cute laugh.

"Hey, Niall, how many wizards does it take to perform Obliviate?" Harry says as they reach the pitch, nudging the Hufflepuff with his shoulder.

Niall raises an eyebrow.

Harry pauses. "...what were we talking about again?"

The Hufflepuff snorts, bringing a hand to cover his mouth as they sit at the bottom of the stands. "Harry, that was horrible."

"I know," The Gryffindor beams, plopping down on the stands right next to Niall. "I think it's one of my worst."

"An argument could be made that it IS your worst," The blond says, and presses against Harry's side.

The curly brunette's brain short-circuits.

"...Harry?" Niall asks, poking him in the cheek. "Ya alive in there?"

"Sorry," Harry whispers, keeping his eyes on Louis and Zayn flying around their heads. "I spaced out a bit there."

"Mmmm," Niall says, sounding unconvinced. He doesn't say anything else though, and Harry exhales, enjoying the weight of Niall pressed against him.

Merlin, he has it so bad.

"Why do I never see you up on a broom?" Niall asks suddenly, and Harry can't help but laugh really, really loudly.

"Niall you've got to be kidding me," Harry laughs. "I am a grade-a klutz. I can barely stay on my feet on the ground, you can't expect me to be an better in the air."

Niall frowns. "I didn't know."

"It's okay," Harry says, and suddenly finds his left hand patting the Hufflepuff's knee. "I just, the world would be in major trouble if I ever tried to play a game of Quidditch."

"Even a simple one?"

"Especially then," Harry says.

"I see," Niall says, and then suddenly the blonde's hand is on top of Harry's.

xxxxxxxxxx

Fifteen minutes later, the game's over-Lou's won, of course-and he and Zayn are making their way over to where Harry and Niall are seated.

"Hullo, lads!" Louis greets cheerfully, splattered in mud, broom in hand, a wide grin on his face.

"Lou!" Niall says, and grins back at him. Harry smiles, too, relieved that Louis actually looks happy, and not like someone's just told him they ran over his cat for once.

Zayn, of course, is smirking behind Louis, looking so fucking proud of himself.

Harry sort of wants to just smack him.

"So, what have you two been up to?" Zayn says, and his smirk grows wider, if that's even physically possible.

"We were in the kitchens for a while, then we came out and decided to watch you play," Niall says, locking his hands behind his head. "Harry's told me about a hundred bad jokes."

"Hazza," Louis groans. "What have Zayn and I told you about making nice people listen to your awful jokes?"

"Bugger off, Lou," Harry says, not even really caring that much because Louis is being himself, and it's such a relief.

"He didn't tell you the one about Obliviate, did he?" Zayn asks, and Niall cracks up.

"Harry we told you you were never allowed to tell that joke again!" Louis pouts, and Harry just grins.

"Too bad," He says, and leans against Niall a little more. "It's my favorite."

xxxxxxxxxx

Niall's growling stomach is what finally gets the four of them off the pitch and back into castle. Zayn and Louis head upstairs to change out of their mud-splattered clothes and Niall and Harry join the rest of the castle in the Great Hall for dinner.

The blonde trails after Harry towards the Gryffindor table, and practically squishes next to him as they squeeze onto the bench in what everyone in Gryffindor likes to fondly refer to as the 'seventh year section'.

Harry greets Ed and Perrie and then returns the whole of his attention to Niall, who's already devouring a good chunk of the roasted chicken that's sat on a silver platter in front of them.

"Save some for the rest of us," Harry complains, and slaps Niall's fork away to steal some for himself.

"Haz," Niall whines, and Harry tries hard not to blush as his nickname slips from the blonde's lips. "I'm so hungry."

"We ate like an hour and a half ago," Harry reminds him, and reaches past him to grab the green beans.

"That was ages ago," Niall pouts, and the brunette sighs, dumping a spoonful of beans on Niall's plate as well as his own.

"Stop whining at me, Niall, and eat," Harry says fondly, passing the blonde a dinner roll.

Niall's eyes light up and he practically snatches it from the Gryffindor, devouring the roll in three bites.

"Bloody hell, you're a menace," Harry says, except he bumps their shoulders together and his eyes are soft.

"Come off it, you love me," Niall says casually and Harry nearly chokes on his pumpkin juice.

Of course Zayn and Louis decide to make a reappearance at this point.

"You alright there, Hazza?" Zayn asks as he and Louis sit down across from them.

"Fine," Harry wheezes. "Down the wrong pipe."

"What a waste of pumpkin juice," Louis says longingly and Zayn smacks him on the back of the head.

"I am so done with your love affair with pumpkin juice," He says, and then he and Harry freeze.

Louis eyes them, amused, and shakes his head. "I am not a fragile doll, you guys."

Niall snorts, and then tries to look innocent as he shoves as much chicken in his mouth as he can get away with.

Harry sighs at him.

"Not a fragile doll my ass," Zayn agrees, and Louis shoves him.

Harry looks at them, then at the pitcher of pumpkin juice, and whispers to Niall, "How pissed do you think Lou'd be if I finished off the pumpkin juice?"

"Do it," Niall says, and well, that's all the encouragement Harry needs to reach for the pitcher and pour what remains of the pumpkin juice into his goblet.

Louis stares at him.

"Bloody hell," Zayn says, and buries his face in his hands.

"Hazza, dear," Louis says, and Harry lifts the goblet to his lips and drains the juice in one go.

"Sorry, Tommo," He says cheekily. "What was that?"

Louis narrows his eyes. "You have declared war, Styles. Beware."

"You don't scare me," Harry smirks.

"You guys are so strange," Niall laughs.

Zayn just puts his head in his hands. "Ravenclaw. All I ever wanted was to be put in Ravenclaw."

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"Alright, Harold," Louis says loudly later that night, when the three of them reach their dormitory. "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Harry tries, because it can't possibly hurt.

"EXCUSE ME?" Louis nearly shouts.

"Here we go," Zayn says, tossing his robe on the floor and disappearing into his four-poster bed.

"Don't try to pull one over on me, Harold, I know what puppy love looks like!" Louis somehow manages to waggle his finger and kick off his shoes at the same time. "Spill the beans! What's going on between you and Mr. Horan?"

"Bloody hell, Lou," Harry groans, burying his face in his pillow.

"I warned you," Zayn says, and Louis rounds on him.

"You KNEW?"

"Uh, yeah, it was pretty obvious," Zayn says, poking his head out of his curtains. "Except to you, apparently. Harry's been like a lovesick idiot for ages, Lou."

Louis makes a strangled noise and waves his hands around. "Why does no one tell me anything??"

"Pretty sure we didn't tell you because you kept shouting about Liam's arse before we could say anything," Zayn retorts, and Harry holds his breath.

Louis frowns, before sighing. "It is a pretty fantastic arse, isn't it?"

"Yes Lou," Harry says patiently.

"No! Don't agree with me! I'm getting over him, remember?" Louis huffs.

"Liam Payne is the ugliest man ever," Zayn says encouragingly, and Harry snorts.

"His arse is as flat as a piece of paper," The curly-haired brunette chimes in.

"He's rude and not nice at all," Louis says, and then dives into his bed. "Night lads."

"Night Lou. Night Zee."

Zayn just grunts.

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	3. The Aching Gryffindor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis is still completely gone for Liam, Harry wants to snuggle Niall all day long, Niall is not a morning person, Zayn doesn't know why he bothers to have friends, and Liam is determined to figure out what is going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER IS FINALLY FINISHED OH MY GOD.
> 
> Louis gave me so much crap while I was trying to write this. I was literally yelling, "I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!" at my iPod touch at one point, jeez louise.
> 
> There are going to be less chapters then I originally estimated, which is why the question mark is back at the end of the chapter count.
> 
> I don't like this chapter. It feels weird. I'm not as good at writing Liam or Louis as I am at writing Niall and Harry-but this chapter had to happen so I just have to deal.
> 
> It should NOT take me another month and a half to update this. Good Lord.
> 
> Enjoy.

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LOUIS

The thing about Harold is that he wears his heart on his sleeve.

It's not a bad thing, although it has gotten Louis into a few tight spots whilst pranking around Hogwarts (and he can't always convince Zayn to go along with his 'shenanigans', as Headmistress McGonnagall calls them)-not that it matters, because as Harry's best mate Louis is required to overlook these flaws.

Except.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Louis says, looking at Zayn and pushing his spoon around his bowl. "Ugh. They're sickening."

"Your face sickens me every day," The darker-haired boy says and yeah, Louis left that one wide open for him.

He punches him in the shoulder anyway.

"Is Niall even awake?"

Zayn peers over at the Hufflepuff table. "He's got a muffin in hand, he's awake. Sort of."

"They are totally snuggling," Louis says. "Gag me."

"Shut up, and don't interfere," Zayn smacks him on the shoulder. "They need to figure it out on their own."

Louis pouts, and hunches his shoulders together. "I'm not going to interfere."

"Good, cause I swear to Merlin if you get your own issues mixed up with their happy bubble I will rain hell down on you and have you dragged to the Underworld."

"You need to stop reading Greek Myths," Louis sighs. "Bloody hell, why do I even put up with you?"

Zayn pulls out his Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7, and smacks him with it.

"Ow! Abuse, abuse!"

"You deserved it," Zayn says, and goes back to his toast.

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"Harold Horan," Louis says as he snags the curly-haired brunette as his Transfiguration partner not even twenty minutes later. "It has a pleasant ring to it."

Harry blushes bright red and shushes him. "Lou! C'mon, he's two desks away!"

"Oh ho ho," Louis chuckles. "No denial there, young Harold, ehhhh?"

"Louis, I don't even know what goes on in your brain sometimes," Harry says, shaking his head and Vanishing the tea cup from the selection of objects on their desk.

"I don't either," Louis says jokingly, tapping his wand against a bobby pin and Transfiguring it into a butterfly.

"Mr. Tomlinson," Professor Lawson says, appearing suddenly by their side. "I believe the blackboard says no FLYING creatures?"

"Sorry, Professor," Louis says cheerfully, waving his wand in the butterfly's direction and Transfiguring it back into a bobby pin.

The Transfiguration professor's eyes narrow, before she sighs and shakes her head. "So much wasted potential, Mr. Tomlinson."

"I know," Louis says, and salutes her as she walks off, towards Zayn and Niall's table.

"Lou," Harry laughs, shaking his curls out of his eyes. "You are ridiculous."

Louis grins, turns his head in Harry's direction-

-and catches Liam's eye.

The Ravenclaw is staring at him, intently, a frown barely noticeable on his face, eyes dark with something Louis doesn't understand.

The brunette jerks his head away.

"Louis?" Harry asks softly.

"I'm okay," The Gryffindor says, and points his wand at the teapot in front of him.

It melts, black, into a puddle on the desk.

(The look on Harry's face clearly conveys he doesn't believe Louis.

Louis doesn't blame him.)

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Tomlinson," Professor Lawson says, suddenly right by his shoulder. "That was one of my favorites."

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"You're sulking again," Zayn notes on their way to Herbology.

"I think you have us confused," Louis says, and points to himself. "Tommo fine. Malik upset because hot professor not notice him in lesson."

Harry is laughing. "Caveman, Louis, really?"

Zayn punches him in the shoulder. "You are such a twat."

Louis shrieks in victory, rolling his shoulder. "Harold, did you hear him? No denial!"

"Leave me out of this," The curly-haired male protests, and escapes to go walk with Niall.

"Harold!" Louis says, and pretends to try and claw after him. "Nooo, Zayn, help me, he is escaping!"

"Merlin, Lou, shut up," Zayn groans. "You are such an embarrassment, everyone's staring at us!"

The brunette turns on his heel and yells, "Yeah, you better run!" at a pack of fifth-year Hufflepuffs who are hurriedly walking past them.

"I don't know why we're friends," Zayn sighs, long-suffering.

Louis beams at him, throws his arms around the younger boy's shoulders, and smacks a loud, wet kiss on Zayn's cheek. "It's cause you loooooove meeeeee!" He trills.

"Ugh, Lou, get off!" Zayn yelps, and shoves at the brunette half-heartedly.

"Say it!" Louis demands, pressing another kiss to Zayn's forehead.

"Never!"

"Saaaaaaaaayyyy iiiiiiiiiit!"

"Get the hell off me, Tommo!"

"Say it say it say it!"

Zayn curses and looks up. "Hazza!" He yells across the grounds. "Come get your crazy best friend off me!"

Louis looks up to see Harry just stick a thumbs-up in the air.

"You've got no help from him," Louis cackles. "NOW ADMIT IT!"

Zayn groans, and hunches his shoulders in defeat. "I love you."

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"Shut up, that's all you are getting," Zayn says.

Louis smacks another kiss on his cheek in response.

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"Louis?" A voice says behind them on the Second Golden Trio's way to lunch (with bonus Niall, because he and Harry are oblivious and inseparable) and the brown-haired Gryffindor tries hard not to tense up, to keep his shoulders faux-relaxed.

Harry's looking at him, worriedly, but Louis just shakes his head and motions him on. It's stupid to think he can keep hiding forever.

At his hand motion Zayn and Niall both tug Harry into the Great Hall, and Louis pivots on his heel to come face-to-face with Liam.

His heart skips a beat.

"Hi, Liam," He says faux-casually, crossing his arms across his chest. "There something I can do for you?"

Liam blinks at him-Louis has to mentally stomp down on the urge to coo over the Head Boy's puppy dog face-and wrings his hands. "Is there something wrong, Louis?"

"What," The Gryffindor deadpans, staring at the other male, because REALLY?

"I don't understand," Liam says, and the brunette Gryffindor has to tear his eyes away from the Head Boy's muscles. "Did I do something...why are you ignoring me?"

"I like you a lot, Liam," Louis says in answer, and Liam's confused look deepens.

"I like you too, Louis-"

"No," The Gryffindor says. "I LIKE like you, like you."

Understanding washes over the Ravenclaw's face.

"Yeah," Louis says, and turns on his heel to enter the Great Hall.

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Harry is staring at him intently when Louis slips onto the bench next to Zayn, like his gaze is going to pry all he answers out of the slightly-older male.

"Stop looking at me like that, Hazza," Louis says, and steals Zayn's pumpkin juice.

Zayn sighs at him, and chooses to ignore Louis' actions, which is obviously the right answer.

"Lou," Harry pouts, sticking out his bottom lip. Niall, sitting next to the curly-haired brunette, is somehow managing to look amused while stuffing his face with chicken.

Louis is pretty sure it's a Hufflepuff thing.

"I told him," Louis says, and stabs a green bean particularly viciously.

"And?" Zayn prompts.

"And then I left."

"You didn't wait for an answer? Louis!" Harry says.

"Leave it be," The brunette Gryffindor huffs, taking a sip from his goblet. "He obviously doesn't like me back, so now I can just mope in peace."

"There will be no moping," Zayn says firmly. "You didn't even get an answer from him!"

"I don't need one," Louis says, pushing his green beans around on his plate. "I just need to get over him."

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Louis' moping lasts all the way until two days later, after breakfast, when on his way to Potions he's suddenly dragged away from his friends and into an empty classroom.

"Hi," Liam says, hand still clutched at the front of Louis' robes, and the Gryffindor blinks at him.

"Liam? What?" Louis asks, shaking his head. "What are you-"

"You walked away from me on Saturday," Liam says, and the Gryffindor feels his heart skip a beat.

"I-"

"Louis," Liam cuts him off. "It's my turn now. Don't interrupt me."

The brunette stares at him, and bobs his head.

"It was very rude of you to walk off like that," Liam steps closer, and Louise can feel the blood rushing to his cheeks. "I shouldn't be surprised, not with your personality..."

"Liam..." Louis can't help himself.

"I guess it's a good thing I really like you too," The Ravenclaw says, takes another step forward, and slowly leans his head down.

Louis practically surges up to meet him, and sound explodes in his ears at the feeling of the Head Boy's lips against his.

"Hi," Liam says, pulling back just a tiny bit.

Louis blinks, and all that comes out is, "We're going to be late for class."

Liam laughs.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY!!!!


End file.
